Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


results per page:
Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Feb. 12, 2016 National HR 2017 Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (266 - 144)
Feb. 11, 2016 OR SB 1532 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
Feb. 10, 2016 VA HB 1371 Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
Feb. 10, 2016 AZ HB 2131 Prohibits Local Governments from Taxing Disposable Bags Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
Feb. 8, 2016 KY HB 196 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - House (55 - 37)
Feb. 4, 2016 National HR 766 Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2016 Bill Passed - House (250 - 169)
Feb. 3, 2016 ID H 372 Prohibits Local Limitation on Use of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
Jan. 12, 2016 National S 2232 Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
Dec. 3, 2015 National HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
Dec. 1, 2015 National S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - House (235 - 188)
Nov. 17, 2015 National HR 511 Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (249 - 177)
Nov. 17, 2015 National S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
Oct. 27, 2015 National HR 597 Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (313 - 118)
Oct. 22, 2015 National S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
Oct. 9, 2015 National HR 702 To Adapt to Changing Crude Oil Market Conditions Bill Passed - House (261 - 159)
Oct. 1, 2015 National HR 3457 Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 173)
Sept. 11, 2015 National HR 3460 To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran Bill Passed - House (247 - 186)
Sept. 4, 2015 CA AB 888 Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Aug. 27, 2015 CA SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
Aug. 27, 2015 CA SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
July 23, 2015 National HR 1599 Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (275 - 150)
July 3, 2015 OR SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - House (43 - 17)
July 1, 2015 OR SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
June 25, 2015 RI H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
June 25, 2015 NJ A 4018 Authorizes Lottery Courier Services Bill Passed - House (54 - 20)
Date No. Title Outcome
2/12 HR 2017 Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (266 - 144)
2/11 SB 1532 Increases Minimum Wage Bill Passed - Senate (16 - 12)
2/10 HB 1371 Prohibits Cities from Increasing Minimum Wage or Benefits Bill Passed - House (65 - 34)
2/10 HB 2131 Prohibits Local Governments from Taxing Disposable Bags Bill Passed - House (35 - 24)
2/08 HB 196 Prohibits Minors from Using Tanning Beds Bill Passed - House (55 - 37)
2/04 HR 766 Financial Institution Customer Protection Act of 2016 Bill Passed - House (250 - 169)
2/03 H 372 Prohibits Local Limitation on Use of Plastic Bags Bill Passed - House (52 - 17)
1/12 S 2232 Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 Cloture Not Invoked - Senate (53 - 44)
12/03 HR 8 North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act Bill Passed - House (249 - 174)
12/01 S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - House (235 - 188)
11/17 HR 511 Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (249 - 177)
11/17 S J Res 23 A Joint Resolution Providing for Congressional Disapproval Under Chapter 8 of Title 5, United States Code, of a Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions from New, Modified, and Reconstructed Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units" Bill Passed - Senate (52 - 46)
10/27 HR 597 Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (313 - 118)
10/22 S Amdt 2564 Prohibits Liability Immunity for Corporations that Break User Agreements Amendment Rejected - Senate (32 - 65)
10/09 HR 702 To Adapt to Changing Crude Oil Market Conditions Bill Passed - House (261 - 159)
10/01 HR 3457 Justice for Victims of Iranian Terrorism Act Bill Passed - House (251 - 173)
9/11 HR 3460 To Suspend Until January 21, 2017, the Authority of the President to Waive, Suspend, Reduce, Provide Relief from, or Otherwise Limit the Application of Sanctions Pursuant to an Agreement Related to the Nuclear Program of Iran Bill Passed - House (247 - 186)
9/04 AB 888 Prohibits the Sale of Products Containing Plastic Microbeads Bill Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
8/27 SB 7 Increases Smoking Age to 21 Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
8/27 SB 5 Amends Regulations for E-Cigarettes Bill Passed - Senate (25 - 13)
7/23 HR 1599 Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 Bill Passed - House (275 - 150)
7/03 SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - House (43 - 17)
7/01 SB 478 Requires Manufacturers to Disclose Certain Chemicals Used in Children's Products Bill Passed - Senate (18 - 11)
6/25 H 5364 Increases Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Bill Passed - Senate (31 - 3)
6/25 A 4018 Authorizes Lottery Courier Services Bill Passed - House (54 - 20)

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